Sony Concerned with Being the Best, Not First

Many would assume that Sony would have learned their lesson after what happened when the PlayStation 3 released in 2006. By November, 2006, the Xbox 360 already had a year head start into the market. This headset ended up dampening the excitement of the North American release, and proved to be a difficult mountain to climb for Sony and their newly released console. However, given a recent interview, it appears that Sony is not at all concerned with timing, and is primarily concerned with the overall quality of their system.

In an interview with Eurogamer, SCEA boss Jack Tretton outlined Sony’s plans for the PlayStation 4, and how they match up against its competitor, the successor to the Xbox 360.

We’ve never been first. We’ve never been cheapest. It’s about being the best. If you can build a better machine and it’s going to come out a little bit later, that’s better than rushing something to market that’s going to run out of gas for the long term.

In addition to the delayed launch of the PlayStation 3, many saw the initial pricepoints of $499 and $599 as too steep for the average consumer. Many swore off the console until the price claim down. Presumably, Sony would not position the PlayStation 4 anywhere near that point, or will they? Tretton, continuing:

Ideally, in a perfect world, you want the best machine that ships first that’s cheapest. But the number one goal is to be the best machine and that’s what we’re always focused on.

Personally, I want the best console available. If that means delaying the release a few extra months, I would be fine with that. Hopefully Sony learned their lesson about the pricepoint, and although it is not too big of an issue for me, it is a huge issue for many consumers.